Mirror Easter Area Championships at Brightlingsea SC 9/5/06

The Mirror Championship season kicked off with the Easterns at Brightlingsea SC at the end of April, with 43 boats competing – a record number in recent years for this event. The event was also the first of the qualifiers for the 2007 Mirror World Championship in South Africa.

The weather forecast didn’t look too promising, with rain predicted, but in the end the competitors enjoyed a sunny weekend on the East Coast. The sunny weather meant that the breeze was usually light and very shifty, with the sea breeze fighting the prevailing northerly, on at least one occasion the run turned into a beat. Phil Rust and his race team did a fantastic job to complete the full quota of six races in the difficult conditions.

The results saw the top three from the 2005 National Championship fighting it out at the front, but with a reversal of places. The racing was dominated by MCA Youth Squad girls Anna MacKenzie and Holly Scott, 2nd at the nationals with straight bullets in the first four races, although pushed hard by second place father and son team John and Jamie Clementson who won the remaining races. National champions Hector and Ben Cisneros completed the podium with third overall. Rebecca Kalderon and Olivia Peacock were top juniors in sixth place.

Overall Results
1 Av It 70172, Anna MacKenzie and Holly Scott RWYC/SSC
2 Whatever! 70222, John and Jamie Clementson Chipstead SC
3 Benina Milkshake 69912, Hector and Ben Cisneros Reading SC
4 Rush 70346, Emma Houlihan and Emily MacKenzie Royal Windermere YC
5 PTHREETLE 69776, Emma and Martina Barry Brightlingsea Sailing Club
6 out of control 70373, Rebecca Kalderon and Olivia Peacock Itchenor
7 Molly 70281, Craig and Charlotte Bond Brightlingsea Sailing Club
8 EAT MY SHORTS 70223, Liam Arrowsmith and Richard Long Plymouth YC
9 Simply Red 70361, Ed FitzGerald and James Wallace Itchenor SC
10 Double Trouble 70176, Eloise and Kayleigh Hansen Covenham SC
11 Emerald Isle 17074, David and Bethany Grey Royal Windermere YC
12 Blue Tack 70354, Helena Newell and Charlotte Fitzgerald Itchenor SC
13 Mr Blobby 70166, Chris and Christopher Swinchatt Chipstead SC
14 molly 70356, David Conlon Mitchell Bond Brightlingsea Sailing Club